Trochocercus
tro-ko-SER-kus
Genus
wheel-tailed one
Literally: wheel + tail
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| trocho- | a wheel | Greek (troch, -o, =us) | combining form with connecting vowel -o- |
| -cercus | the tail | Greek (cerc, -o, =us) | standalone ending -us; masculine nominative singular, giving the whole compound a Latin masculine gender |
A compound Greek noun used as a Latin masculine nominative singular (ending -us). The first element trocho- (wheel) modifies the head noun -cercus (tail): 'the one with the wheel-like tail.' The name alludes to the distinctive fan-shaped or spinning-disc appearance of the tail, characteristic of the African paradise-flycatcher group it was coined for. There is no specific epithet; this is a uninomial genus name.
Pronunciation
- tro-ko-SER-kus Penult rule 5: the penult vowel 'e' is short but is followed by two consonants ('r' + 'c'), so the penult syllable 'cer' is stressed.
Other readings
An alternative reading of 'trocho-' as the combining form of trocho (anything round / rolling, cognate with trochos 'runner') is essentially the same root and gives the same meaning.
'ch' is pronounced as hard 'k' per MODE 2 consonant rules. The 'c' in '-cercus' comes before 'e', so it is pronounced 's', giving 'ser'. The final 'c' in '-cus' comes before 'u', so it is pronounced 'k'. Trochocercus is a real genus of African crested flycatchers (family Monarchidae), named for their characteristic fanned or wheel-like tail display.